Magic Strategies Against Evil Eye-diseases in Southeast-Europe. An example in a Greek dialectical comedy from the 19th century

Authors

  • Walter Puchner

Abstract

This study provides an overview of the forms, dissemination and history of the Evil Eye, of the theories regarding the transmitting of envy and hate through a glance, of holders of the power and its victims, the symptoms of the disease, prophylactic strategies like amulets and spiting, as well as modes of therapy in the form of magic practices for de-enchanting. A dialectical text from the Greek comedy “The Carpathian or the Imagined Lover” by Sotiris Kourtesis from 1862 is analysed and translated, where such a xematiasma-rite is performed in a dramatic way on stage.

Author Biography

Walter Puchner

Walter Puchner was born in Vienna in 1947. He studied Theatre Science at the University of Vienna. In 1972 he was nominated Doctor of Philosophy at the same University with a dissertation about Greek Shadow Theatre, and in 1977 Dozent für Theaterwissenschaft with a Habilitationsschrift about the evolution of theatrical forms in Greek folk culture. In the years 1977-89 he taught theatre history at the Philosphical Faculty of the University of Crete, then at the University of Athens theory of theatre, at the newly founded Department of Theatre Studies, where he is dean up to now. Side by side he taught for 30 years theatre history at the Institut für Theaterwissenschaft at the University of Vienna. He was invited guest professor in many European and American Universities. In 1994 he was elected corresponding member of the Austrian Academy of Science, in 2001 he was decorated with the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art. He has published more then 100 books and about 400 publications in scientific periodicals. His research topics are history of theatre and culture of the Balkan peninsula, comparative folklore and ethnography of the Mediterranean area, Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies as well as theory of drama and theatre.

Downloads

Published

2016-03-18

How to Cite

Puchner, W. (2016). Magic Strategies Against Evil Eye-diseases in Southeast-Europe. An example in a Greek dialectical comedy from the 19th century. Zeitschrift für Balkanologie, 51(2). Retrieved from https://zeitschrift-fuer-balkanologie.de/index.php/zfb/article/view/445

Issue

Vol. 51 No. 2 (2015)

Section

Articles

License

Submitting any article for publication conveys the copyright to the Harrassowitz Press / the Journal of Balkanology. Publishing an article elsewhere after it appears in the Journal of Balkanology is permitted, provided this is discussed with the editorial staff first and proper credit is given to where the article first appeared.

Submitted articles should be original articles that have never been published, or were previously submitted for publication, in substantially the same form or with substantially the same contents. The author is responsible for ensuring that he or she has the copyright or user license for any materials (e.g. photos) used in an article.